The second edition of the Vick Vanlian Interior Design Awards, held from June 12 to 23, 2025, at the School of Architecture and Design (SArD) Art Gallery, Beirut campus, continued the legacy of celebrating distinction in design while honoring the memory of the late LAU alumnus Vick Vanlian (BS ’00).

Established by the Vanlian family in collaboration with SArD, the exhibition aims to recognize work by graduating interior design students and showcase their creativity in the field.

The event is “among the many ways through which we can deeply commemorate the memory of Vanlian and his design philosophy,” said school Dean Elie Haddad in his opening remarks.

The exhibition featured a curated selection of student projects that demonstrated both technical proficiency and conceptual depth, including innovative use of space, sustainable design and storytelling through interior environments. Awards were granted to projects that most closely aligned with the values Vanlian championed: “boldness, originality and an embrace of the unconventional,” added Dr. Haddad.

Reinforcing the awards’ significance as an academic milestone, Vick’s sister, Kaline Vanlian, highlighted Vick’s belief in design as a means of spreading positivity and enhancing human experiences. “I am deeply touched to see Vick’s legacy continued through you,” she said, addressing the students.

She went on to commend them for their dedication and encouraged them to pursue their creative visions with courage and heart like her brother, “who had done so with love and passion throughout his career,” noted Kaline.

Assistant Dean Sophie Khayat emphasized how the exhibition promotes the program’s alignment with the school’s pedagogical mission, in which students approach interior design as “a practice that responds to the evolving needs of individuals and communities.”

Reflecting on the challenging times of the past semester, Khayat was immensely proud of the students “for managing to push boundaries and channel their resilience into meaningful, thoughtful design,” adding that their ability to adapt and persevere in the face of uncertainty is a testament to the passion for design that the school nurtures.

The first prize in interior design went to Wael Srouji for his project Beit El Nahassin, which reimagined the late French architect Raoul Verney’s abandoned 1970s Hraiche Pool complex as a temple of copper. The project proposed “creating a copper-smithing education center that could help keep the craft alive in Qatamoun,” he said, “which is something that we can hope will offer both economic opportunity and a way to preserve the culture.”

The second prize for interior design was shared by Elizabeth Habre and Tamara Sioufi.

As for the Furniture Design Award, Annalea el Aouad and Elizabeth Habre jointly won the first prize, Betty Razzouk and Wael Srouji along with Lea Maria Nakad and Adla Saad earned the second prize, and Lynn Moukayel received the third.

Habre and el Aouad’s project was awarded for its creativity in transforming the structural columns of the Gezairi Building into functional resting spots with seatings inspired by mushrooms growing out of tree trunks. “They’re usually just in the way, breaking up the space and getting ignored,” they said in a shared statement. “So, we thought, why not turn them into something useful instead of seeing them as a problem?”

The award trophy, designed by Vick Vanlian himself and molded after the iconic Japanese super robot Grendizer—a character from his childhood who embodies freedom of spirit and compassion—expresses Vanlian’s belief that creativity should be bold, generous and always in service of uplifting others.